HONOR ROLLS

For the third year in a row, the Paradise Intermediate and Elementary UIL team are district champions.

“Our kids did extremely well in all grades,” PIS UIL Coordinator Beth Buckner said. “They scored enough points in each grade to be grade level champion, and Paradise was the meet winner.

“Our kids were pretty pumped.”

Second through fifth graders competed in December against students from Boyd, Bowie and Jacksboro to take home the victory. There was only one event in which Paradise didn’t place as a team. Individual students placed in every contest.

Since the students are younger, this was their only chance to compete this year. The youngest, the second graders, competed in simple events like storytelling. The fifth graders competed in more difficult events like number sense.

“These are skills they’ll continue to add to,” Buckner said. “It seems like every grade they add on to it. By high school, they can earn scholarships.”

Buckner said the UIL program is very popular at the elementary and intermediate schools, with around 70 students competing. They have to hold tryouts for each event because so many students want to join UIL.

“It’s an opportunity for students who may not shine in athletics,” Buckner said. “It’s an opportunity for them to develop strengths in areas they didn’t know they had an ability in.

“They really like to push themselves further in areas they don’t get to work on during the school day.”

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